This may be my last post for Highland Titles' blog competition, but I am addicted to blogging now so will continue doing so. I have just been reminded by Laird Peter that I may also be addicted to single malts of the isles and can hardly wait to get reacquainted!
We ARE counting the months, weeks and days until we return to Scotland. I think we have been driving our family and friends mad with enthusiastic plans and more plans for the trip. They probably would like us to go tomorrow so they can regain some peace.
Laird Peter has just shown me his latest Scotland Magazine with a lovely pic of Dunnottar Castle which apparently inspired the latest Disney movie Brave. Now he wants me to find out where it is! He is waxing lyrical and we both understand each other so well that we really don't need to discuss it, we just KNOW.
Today the weather has been quite warm, as it should be but tomorrow (or even tonight) will see a cold front come through and of course because I will be in Ballarat, it will be colder and will rain on me.
I am a little tired of having Halloween pushed in our faces, all scary masks and silly pumpkins. Oh dear. All Hallows Eve for me and him, and a little dram of something Scottish thank you. I have just posted a couple of silly pics on my facebook page, and thought I should add one here. It is of dolls and puppets, and I can proudly tell you that my Mum made some of them over 40 years ago. They are all due for new hairdos - and hair! My sister Ell gave me a bag of goodies from the Pomonal craft market where she sells her spinning and wool and knitting and was quite excited about the contents. Several packets of gorgeous doll hair of many colours and styles, and guess where they'll be used! So here they are, in my little room, and I'm heading off for a wee dram with his Lairdship.
To Highland Titles, thanks for the opportunity and idea to start blogging, and we look forward to visiting our plots in 2013.
I'm going to paste something I wrote a couple of days ago on my facebook page. I had cause to think quietly about life and friends on my way home from Ballarat on Thursday night:
As I sat on the train on Thursday evening, watching the sunset across squelchy paddocks, it occurred to me that sometimes we have to stop for a bit, take a big, deep breath, and remind someone we know/love/respect how much they mean to us. We have been reminded quite often of late, just how precious life is, and it can be gone in a flash. I'm not sad, just reflecting on life, love and the joys of friendship. There you go. That's all. More another day.
It's much warmer today. The weekend was good, the highlight being our lovely friends David and Tim staying with us for two nights. It was David's birthday on Saturday and he got his present early, at breakfast coffee, before we went out for breakfast. On Friday night I made a venison stew for the guys, and it turned out well. As we had to attend our combined Stawell High School/Stawell Technical School Reunion on Saturday, the guys went for a long hike in the Grampians, and when they came home they cooked dinner - beautiful succulent roast chicken with mashed potato and green beans, followed by Tim's gorgeous Jam Rolypoly. And cream. Yum! I had drunk quite a bit of champagne at the reunion, so after making my tipsy entrance promptly fell onto the mattress in the lounge and fell asleep! Now it's Monday and I've been doing some creative things. Must put up some pics of what I've been doing. Maybe I can find the pic David took of my venison stew...
It's trying to rain again. Got most of the washing in. We're in excitement mode about our trip to UK next year, but around that we've had a week of sad events. Laird Peter's Uncle Bob died last week and we attended his funeral on Saturday, saying ruefully to his many cousins that we only seem to catch up at funerals. A longtime family friend succumbed to a long illness, and a too-young student of Peter's died also. Other things happened as well, and amidst all the devastating news we have been able to view pics via facebook of friends overseas enjoying good things. It's the first week of term 4 and holidays are behind us, so I must away to see what's for dinner.
I've just checked the Highland Titles website information about the blog competition - ah, I have another month! So, just as a little comment for today, I've been checking out Highland Titles Facebook page. Some fantastic photos by Jacky Cooper, 'resident photographer for Highland Titles'. As we've just had confirmation yesterday that I have long service leave next year, we are in excitement mode as we can now plan and book for our UK trip, a fair chunk of which will be in Scotland. And, just to add to that excitement, on TV last night we watched a repeat episode of Martin Clunes's Islands of Britain, which included the Shetlands, Lewis and Harris, Barra, and a lovely island we saw from a ferry - Eigg. Here's a pic Laird Peter took.
